TIFFIN, OH (WTOL) - On Saturday, two Tiffin men passed away from an apparent heroin overdose inside a Tiffin home. On Sunday, police believe they arrested the man who sold them that heroin.
Tiffin Police found 28-year-old David Vaughn and 25-year-old John Panuto unresponsive after a 911 call.
Narcan was not administered after EMTs on scene suspected the men to have been dead for hours.
A person close to the situation gave police information which led the investigation to 36-year-old Joseph Worth.
He was arrested Sunday night after a traffic stop and arraigned this morning on involuntary manslaughter charges. Worth is being held on a $1 million bond.
The charge of involuntary manslaughter is a way to punish those who are trying to profit off of the addictions of others.
"They're just feeding on the disease, the addiction. And you take away that equation, of the dealers being there and it's so available, readily available, then maybe these people would continue on and get the help that they need," said Tiffin Police Chief Fred Stevens.
While law enforcement and the court system have started to help those with opiate addictions find recovery, they have also started to hand out tougher penalties to those who are profiting off of those people with addictions.
"The opioid epidemic though in the last five years has really changed how all of us do our jobs," said Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Judge Mark Repp.
Judge Repp says he had been building a relationship with one of the weekend's victims, John Panuto, through his drug rehabilitation program.
He says when an addict dies from a drug overdose, the community needs to care.
"It's kind of a big deal," Repp said. "There were two deaths related to at least the allegations involving Mr. Worth. It is very serious."
Chief Stevens said because of the county's work in offering help and recovery for addicts instead of jail time, it has led to more leads on dealers. Cases like Joseph Worth's, who could be facing nearly 20 years in prison, should act as a warning to others.
"You're going to be held accountable, and it may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, it may not be a month from now, but eventually you're going to get caught," said Stevens. "And hopefully send a very strong message, at least in Seneca County, that you are going to more than just the aggravated trafficking or trafficking charges."
Additional drug charges for Worth are expected following the police investigation.
